Electrical and thermal cupping device.



PATENTED DB0. s, 1907.

E. s. SAIGHMAN. ELECTRICAL AND THERMAL CUPPING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBQSO, 1903.

Z ZizzegJea' I To all who met may concern: I

" UNITED snares z EDWARD s. sAIcnM i QFFI E- or] QHIG AGO ILLINOIS.

nLEorRIcAr; AND T mur/Inn Corrine DEVICE.

l No. 872,688;

Be it known that I, EDWARD -,a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have'in- .vented certain newand useful Improvements in Electrical and Thermal Cupping =D'evices;-and I do hereby declare that the followi is a full, clear, "and exactdescripaccompanyingdrawi p of reference marked t ereon, which form ation of t e same, reference bein had-to the [part of thisspecification.

a cuppin deviceadapted to permit applicationof a 'gher or lower temerature to the surface operatedupon and i desired to ap-i p zlveliectricity during-thetreatment.

been constr-uctble cupof resilient materia such as-rubber, tit has beendifiicult if not impossibleto ap-- ly'heat or cold continuously to thesurace treated during the cupping operation. Neither has it beenpossible in former devices to electrically excite the surface duringtreatment. 1 The object of this invention is toprovide a device ofvtheclass described adapted notdevices have, prior to this, consistinofasingle flexiile cupping1 only-to operate normally as a cuppingdevice,

but also to enable thermal effects to beob- 'tained and, if desired,enabling the tempera- .ture to bevaried during the application. I

It isa furtherobject of the invention, to

provide means adapted to-permit the ap lication of electricity to theparttreated ur- 'ng the normal operation of the device, as beforedescribed. v l The invention embraces many novel-features andconsists-in the matters hereinafter describedand more fully pointed outand defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figured is a top plan View of a device embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the auxiliary cups. Fig; 4 is anenlarged detail illustrat ng the electrical contact.

As shown in said drawings:'lhe cup proper comprises a spherically.concave suction on of any suitable material for example, so t rubber,indicated by A, and as shown, though not necessarily, provided in itsinterior'fwith a plurality of auxiliary suc-- tion cups a which may beof any desired size or construction and may be arra ed in any preferredmanner within the cup, ut which s emanatio of Letters Patent.

S. 'SAIGHMAN,

s, and to the letters This invention rel tes moreparticularly to aresufficiently remote from the lower orj'con- Patented m 3,1'90111Application meg hemmed-190s. Serial no. 127.151.

tact edge of the cup to'admit close adhesion of the ed e of the cuptothe surface treated. Surroun ing said cup and vulcanized thereto'(if'of rubber) 'is an integral water ba B,

which may be of any desired or preferre ca- -paci ty,-a'nd as shownextends from the edge or margin of the cup upwardly to the top thereofon the outer. side and of which the .wall of the cup afi'or'ds one.side. Said water;

bag is provided initsto With-one or'more internally screw threadeapertures in which arefsecu red screw plugs b -o which by removaler-mit. the water bag to be filled with fluid'o any desired temperature,either hot or cold, as preferred, or, if desired, admit of having.connected therein fluid'conducting pipes through one .of which fluid ofthe de-.

sired temperature is :conveyed int-o 'the ba from any convenient sourceofsupply and .through the other ofwhich the fluid discharges, thusaflordin'g a flow through the bag and enablin aconstant temperature tobe maintained during the operation, or admitting of the temperaturebeing. varied "from hotto cold or vice versa during the treatment. I

Extending upwardly through the top of the on as shown-through a-centralboss 0, is a tu ula'r screw 0 Whichmay be inserted in' lace beforeVulcaniz'ing and aiiords attac ment-for the handlewhichmay or may not beconnected with a source of electric current supply, as preferred. Asshown said boss 0 is'pro'vided on its end with projections adapted'toengagein complemental sockets 1 in the end ofv handle 0 when appliedthereto and-in which said screw has threaded engagement. j One or morewashers indicated by c are securedbeneath the head-of said form orconstruction and as shown, the same The handle G may. of course be ofany screw on the inner side of the cup and exis adaptedfforthreadedengagement with the screw 0 as before described and is providedat the inner end of the screw aperture with a recess in which is secureda flap of rubber 0 adapted for engagement with the open end of the screwand acting as an. air valve. Any suit-able conductor c leads inwardlythrough or along the handle into engagement with said screw C and isadapted for any convenient source of current supply.

The operation is as follows:-lt it is desired to electrically excite thesurface treated, the cup and the contact having first been moistened arepressed upon the surface to be treated. The cup A and the auxiliary orinterior suction cups a when ap plied to the surlsuzewith pressure arede pressed, thereby expelling the air and. cansing them to adhereclosely to said surtace. The moist absorbent surface of the con met Drests with more or less pressure upon said surface. The cup being ofresilient material acts after being depressed to spring or draw upwardly.nd tends to return to-its normal position thus creating a p "vialvacuum in the usual manner and tends to open the pores of the skin andto draw the blood to the surface. Electrical excitation may accelerateor retard this el'. t, dependent noon the strength of the currrnt used,mild electrical excitation tendiup to increase this tendency, while agreater electrical excitation tends to restrict the e pillary vessels,thus retar ling the How of blood to the surface. These effects may beaugmented or diminished by varying the temperature. This is accomplishedby either filling the bag B with not or ,with cold water beforeapplication, or by permitting a continuous how of water therethroughwhich may be gradually increased in temperature, should it be desired toaugment the capillary circulation and excrctive action of the skin. Coldwater or any refrigerating or coolingiluid may be used to till the bag,or if a continuous ilow used the temperature may be gradually reducedduring the flow before described thereby diminishing" this tendency. .llither of effects may be produced either with or without electricalaction as the case r "'11.

With the construction descri..e .l it vious that the cup can be usedmerely as a suction or vacuum cup, if preferred, without applying theelectrical current or making use of the water bag, or either or both ofthe same may be used in conjunction with the ordinary cupping action aspreferred and, any means acting to vary the temperature ol the cup maybeused either before or during ap plication.

As shown'a plate E of hard rubber, metal or other comparatively rigidmaterial is vulcanized concentrically into the top of the cup "andprojects into the water bag and acts to distribute downward pressureover a larger area than would be possible by downward the handle isshown to be removable to af' ford access to the valve and is held inplace by the screw 0 and it as well as the handle is perforated topermit escape of the air therefrom.

Obviously many details of construction may be varied without departingfrom the principles of this invention.

I claim as my invention l. A flexible suction cup having a flexiblewater bag covering the. sides and top thereof and adapted to permit saidcup to be. depressed upon the surface treated.

As an article of manulzustnre, a flexible cupping device adapted to bedepressed upon the surface treated, atlexible water coni- Partmcntthereon adapted for circulation of therein adapted to permit the passageof air in one direction on y.

3. The combination witn inner resilient cup of an outer resilient. cupintegral at each end with the respective ends oftl e inner cup therebyproviding a chamber and. a plate concentric with one of the connectedends and extending into the chamber.

4. The combination with a flexible suction cup of an outer cupintegrally united therewith and atlording a chamber therebetween, ahandle engaged to said cups having a passage therethrough and valvepositioned in said handle adapted to release the air from the inner cupand to preventthe return of the air thereinto when pressed against thesurface treated. 5. In a device of the class described the combinationwith a pair of cups, one nested within the other and providing acompartment between the cups and a plate above the inner cup.

(3. In a do ice of the class described the combination with an outerclosed cup of an inner cup united therewith at its margins and centerand affording a water chamber therebet-ween, means for depressing saidcups centrally and electrical connections dependlire; therefrom andadapted for connection with a source of electrical supply. I

T. A device of the class described. comprising a suction cup, a fluidcontaining receptacle niclosing the same, a plate between said cup andreceptacle ,means adapted to depress said cup to expel the air from thecup and. a valve therein adapted to prevent retu n of air to the cup.

e. in a device of the class described the sent. The simple outwardlyopening air 1 mass combination with a suction cuppof a handle adaptedfor connection therewith, a conductor leading from a-source of supplytothe iliary suction cups on the inner side handle and a contact platewithin the handle adaptedfor engagement with said conductor 'outerv cupthereon a handle engaged to the inner cup and a plate above said suctioncup adapted to distribute pressure thereonf 11 A combined suction cupand water bag having flexible-side walls adapted to be cup and'meansadapted to press against the suction cupfto distribute pressure on thecup. 12. The combination with a flexible suction cu {of a fluidcompartment of flexible mate'ria inclosing the same, an upwardly o eninglug on said cup, a tubular. screw t erein and-a tubular handle adaptedto enage' on said screw and affording means for lritroduing an electriccurrent to the interior of the cup. e

13. The combination with a suction cup,

' forced inwardly to expel th e air from the of a water bag surroundingthe same, means for depressing the top of said cup to el the airtherefrom, a valved air outlet an a lurality of auxiliary suction cupson the interior of the cup adapted to produce suction when brought intocontact with" the surface treated. a 14. In a combination with aflexible vacuum 'cup, a water bag investing the same,

' a. tubular handle, a tubular screw-engaging the handle upon the cupand an annular pressure plate above the cup, and adapted to bearthereon.

. 15. The combination with a flexible suction cup, having a centralapertured boss tl1ere0n,-of a flexible bag investing said cup,

a plate engaged between the cup and bag adapted to distribute pressureon the top of the cup and a valved outlet engaged on said oss. v

16. A combined water bag and vacuum cup, a plate adapted to distributepressure upon the cup and an air valve in the vacuum in testimonywhereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses. Q

EDWARD SNSAI GHMAN. Witnesses: I

C. W. HILLs, ALFRED C; ODELL.

